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Toronto unwraps its first city-branded condom design

The condom features the phallic point of the CN Tower and three aptly chosen city street signs: Cummer Ave., Wood St. and Coxwell Ave.

The six images on the City of Toronto's own condom packaging.

Toronto Public Health tweeted out the design of “condomTO” in six separate tweets, starting at 9 a.m.

A message on the condom’s package reads, “No matter which way you go, put it on!”

The condom, launched by the health agency, comes two weeks before World Pride celebrations kick off on June 20.

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Dr. David McKeown, the city’s medical officer, says the condom’s main goal is to get Torontonians talking about safer sex.

“This is a lighthearted approach to what is a serious subject,” he said. “We want to raise awareness and try something new and different to get people thinking about safer sex. We’re trying to make it something that people in Toronto will talk about.”

McKeown said more than 15,000 new cases of sexually transmitted infections occur in Toronto each year, including as many as 500 cases of HIV.

About 60 people die from HIV in Toronto annually, he added. Using condoms is an effective way to prevent sexually transmitted diseases, but statistics show many people choose not to use them.

The AIDS Committee of Toronto welcomed the move by Toronto Public Health, but pointed out only men’s, not women’s, condoms were available.

“The message doesn’t start and end with condoms in a bowl,” said spokesman Rafay Agha. “But kudos to Toronto Public Health. The more safer-sex options people have, the better. It’s also a great starting point for a conversation. Our symbol of the city is a phallic building.”

Not everyone was happy about the condom’s design.

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Daniel Cummer, 65, is a seventh generation descendent of the original Jacob Kummer, after whom Cummer Ave. was named.

Before he was contacted by the Star Wednesday afternoon, Cummer had no idea his family name was appearing on the Toronto condom.

“Why would they do that? I don’t consider it much of a joke,” he said. “To take a city name and use it on a condom — I don’t know what to say about that.”

Cummer said his family name was changed from ‘Kummer’ to ‘Cummer’ many years ago. It was easier to put a round letter ‘C’ on flour bags instead of a ‘K’ when their wheat was ground at the mill, Cummer explained.

His ancestors were some of the first settlers in North York, says Cummer. Jacob Kummer came to Canada from Germany in 1797, buying land east of Yonge St.

“These people were pioneers in this city,” said Cummer. “It sounds to me like it’s in rather poor taste. These are names of streets in the city — they could be a little more respectful.”

Wood St. and Coxwell Ave. were also named after historically prominent Canadians.

Alexander Wood (1772-1844) was a Scottish merchant and magistrate of Upper Canada. He is recognized as a forefather of Toronto’s modern gay community, and has three streets named after him in the Gay Village: Alexander and Wood Sts., and Alexander Place.

Charles Coxwell Small (1800-1864) was the Clerk of the Executive Council of Upper Canada. He lived in a house called Berkley on King. St. E.

The city’s announcement in May of its “first condom” triggered considerable online chatter, mainly centred on the iconic shape of the CN Tower.

“We chose the design that we did because it’s very Toronto, very familiar,” said McKeown. “It’s about our neighbourhoods and our streets, using a little bit of humour to try and make it more comfortable for people to talk about an uncomfortable topic.”

This is the first Canadian city-branded condom McKeown is aware of. Other major cities in North America, including Los Angeles and New York, have their own branded condoms.

CondomTO is free, and will be available in bars, hotels, gyms, clinics and restaurants throughout Toronto. Locations include Club 120, 120 Church St.; Ramada Plaza Toronto, 300 Jarvis St.; Holiday Inn, 30 Carlton St.; and Hair of the Dog, 425a Church St.

Toronto Public Health distributes 3.4 million condoms across the city each year.

While McKeown did not specify the condom’s cost, he said it was funded by the provincial and municipal governments as part of Toronto Public Health’s annual budget.

He acknowledged some people might not be comfortable with the provocative design, but hopes the condom will trigger some important conversations.

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